LCMS
Seal Explained
The official seal of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is a unique blend of symbols and words.
In the center is
· a blue shield, representing the Christian's faith;
· a prominent gold cross proclaiming that we preach Jesus Christ crucified
and risen from the dead;
· Latin words under the cross reading "Jesus Christ is Lord";
· three equilateral gold crosses symbolizing the Holy Trinity;
· three gold stars on the shield standing for the three Christian creeds:
the Apostolic, the Nicene and the Athanasian.
· Beneath the shield is Luther's seal.
· Three gold stars on each side of the shield stand for the six Lutheran
Confessions that were published in one book, titled "Concordia,"
in 1580.
· Grape vines fill the bottom white spaces, symbolizing Christ's words
in John 15:5.
· Around the inner circle are the words on which Lutheranism is founded:
Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide (by Scripture alone, by grace alone,
by faith alone).
· The exterior circle contains the proper name of the church and the
year it was founded—1847.
